Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Lukavac

For one person, living is cheaper in Lukavac: $929 a month against $1,202 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Sarajevo
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Sarajevo Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Lukavac
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Lukavac Living Index

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Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,202

/mo nomad

Lukavac

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sarajevo and in Lukavac

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sarajevo and in Lukavac actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Sarajevo versus $929 in Lukavac.

Sarajevo $1,202
Lukavac $929

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Sarajevo versus $1,390 in Lukavac.

Sarajevo $1,833
Lukavac $1,390

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Sarajevo versus $1,852 in Lukavac.

Sarajevo $2,464
Lukavac $1,852

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 29% more expensive than in Lukavac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 11% lower, Lukavac 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 BAM 15.31

$5.22 BAM 9.08

68.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.97 BAM 71.2

$30.83 BAM 53.6

32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 BAM 15.40

$5.65 BAM 9.82

56.81%

Cappuccino

$2.36 BAM 4.10

$1.71 BAM 2.97

38.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 BAM 3.85

$1.89 BAM 3.28

16.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 BAM 2.55

$1.18 BAM 2.05

24.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 BAM 4.94

$2.31 BAM 4.02

22.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 BAM 4.88

$2.20 BAM 3.83

27.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 2.01

$1.28 BAM 2.22

-9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 BAM 2.05

$0.87 BAM 1.52

35.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 BAM 3.72

$1.97 BAM 3.43

8.63%

Eggs

$3.02 BAM 5.26

$2.61 BAM 4.54

15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 BAM 17.77

$10.16 BAM 17.66

0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 BAM 13.41

$7.40 BAM 12.86

4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 BAM 24.74

$10.62 BAM 18.47

33.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.52

$1.13 BAM 1.96

28.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 BAM 2.97

$1.60 BAM 2.79

6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.75

$1.36 BAM 2.36

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 BAM 3.47

$1.20 BAM 2.08

65.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 BAM 1.64

$1.03 BAM 1.80

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.87

$1.03 BAM 1.79

4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BAM 1.90

$0.75 BAM 1.31

45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.28

$0.67 BAM 1.16

8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 BAM 6.80

$3.86 BAM 6.71

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 BAM 12.17

$3.97 BAM 6.91

76.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BAM 1.53

$0.77 BAM 1.34

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 BAM 2.72

$0.94 BAM 1.63

65.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 BAM 2.23

$1.27 BAM 2.22

0.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.18 BAM 59.4

$60.8 BAM 106

-43.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BAM 2.57

$1.74 BAM 3.02

-14.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 BAM 2.02

$0.59 BAM 1.03

96.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 BAM 15.11

$5.78 BAM 10.06

50.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BAM 2.88

$1.52 BAM 2.64

8.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.2K BAM 52.6K

$30.6K BAM 53.1K

-1.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.9K BAM 38.1K

$21.0K BAM 36.5K

4.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$215 BAM 374

$92.5 BAM 161

132.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.04 BAM 24.42

$17.40 BAM 30.26

-19.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.73 BAM 48.22

$25.86 BAM 44.97

7.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 BAM 70.5

$32.90 BAM 57.2

23.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.58 BAM 34.04

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 BAM 11.93

$5.52 BAM 9.61

24.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$210 BAM 365

$138 BAM 239

52.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,887 BAM 6,759

$3,891 BAM 6,765

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BAM 156

$59.0 BAM 103

51.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.21 BAM 66.4

$32.38 BAM 56.3

18.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 BAM 156

$96.9 BAM 169

-7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 BAM 171

$83.5 BAM 145

17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 BAM 784

$338 BAM 588

33.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 545

$253 BAM 440

23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 BAM 1,731

$519 BAM 902

91.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 BAM 1,030

$368 BAM 640

60.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,302 BAM 5,741

$2,447 BAM 4,255

34.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,322 BAM 4,037

$1,734 BAM 3,014

33.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 BAM 1,833

$572 BAM 994

84.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.3

-5.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sarajevo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lukavac: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sarajevo

$313 26%

Lukavac

$253 27.3% 19.1% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sarajevo

$257 21.4%

Lukavac

$136 14.6% 47.1% $121

Groceries & Markets

Sarajevo

$229 19.1%

Lukavac

$196 21.1% 14.7% $34

Eating Out

Sarajevo

$160 13.3%

Lukavac

$107 11.6% 32.8% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Sarajevo

$142 11.8%

Lukavac

$122 13.2% 14% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Sarajevo

$54 4.5%

Lukavac

$44 4.7% 19% $10

Getting Around

Sarajevo

$47 3.9%

Lukavac

$71 7.6% 51.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Sarajevo and $338 in Lukavac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 84% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Sarajevo vs $31.00 in Lukavac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $196 per month, with Lukavac cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Lukavac

🕒 Local time

10:59 10:59 AM

Same time as Sarajevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

271,194 Capital

12,061

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

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Sarajevo Lukavac 77 km

From you

Sarajevo
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Sarajevo vs Lukavac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lukavac wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Sarajevo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lukavac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Sarajevo versus $338 in Lukavac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,202 per month in Sarajevo versus $929 in Lukavac – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lukavac runs roughly 78% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $929 in Lukavac versus $1,202 in Sarajevo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lukavac but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Lukavac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lukavac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $929 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lukavac hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Lukavac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lukavac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.